Side pool interleaved wagering system

ABSTRACT

An electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering is disclosed. The system includes a interactive controller constructed to: receive an indication to participate in a competition with one or more other users; communicate application telemetry associated with the interactive application. The system also includes a wager controller operatively connected to the application controller, the wager controller constructed to: receive a wager request; communicate funds for a side pool; generate a wager outcome; communicate the wager outcome; and receive funds from the side pool when the user is a winner of the competition. The system also includes the application controller operatively connecting the mobile to the wager controller by a network, the application controller constructed to: communicate a wager request based on received application telemetry; and communicate application resources based on received wager outcome.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/011,116, filed Jun. 18, 2018, which claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/632,950, filed Jun. 26, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/535,816, filed Nov. 7, 2014, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,691,226 on Jun. 27, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/901,430, filed Nov. 7, 2013, the disclosure of each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This application references Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US11/26768, filed Mar. 1, 2011, Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US11/63587, filed Dec. 6, 2011, and Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US12/58156, filed Sep. 29, 2012, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to communications within data processing systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the communication and processing of wagering data.

BACKGROUND

The gaming industry has traditionally developed electronic gaming machines that present simple wagering games to a user. The communication and processing needs for these simple wagering games are easily met using conventional processing systems. However, more complicated wagering games need communication and processing systems that are better suited for implementing these more complicated wagering games. Various aspects of embodiments of the present invention meet such a need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide a communication and data processing system constructed for a side pool interleaved wagering system.

In an embodiment, an electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering includes an interactive controller constructed to provide an interactive application, generate a graphical display of the interactive application, receive, from a user, an indication to participate in a competition with one or more other users, wherein the competition is associated with an interactive application provided by the interactive controller, distribute, to an application controller, a user interaction within the interactive application detected by the interactive controller, generate a graphical status display for a side pool competition within the interactive application. The electronic gaming machine further includes a wager controller operatively connected to the application controller. The wager controller constructed to receive, from the application controller, a wager request, distribute, to a side pool controller, funds for a side pool, generate a wager outcome based on the wager request using a random number generator, communicate, to the application controller, the wager outcome, and receive, from the side pool controller, funds from the side pool when the user is a winner of the competition. The application controller operatively connects the interactive controller to the wager controller. The application controller is constructed to receive, from the interactive controller, the user interaction, distribute, to the wager controller, the wager request based on the received user interaction, receive, from the wager controller, the wager outcome, receive, from the side pool controller, the status of the side pool competition, and distribute, to the interactive controller, the status of the side pool competition.

In another embodiment, the application controller is operatively connected by a network to the wager controller.

In yet another embodiment, an amount of the funds distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller is determined by the user and the one or more users in the competition.

In yet another embodiment, amount of funds distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller is determined by an operator of the competition.

In yet another embodiment, the funds for the side pool, distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller, are communicated before generating the wager outcome.

In yet another embodiment, the funds for the side pool are distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller when the wager outcome is successful, and the funds for the side pool are distributed after generating the wager outcome.

In yet another embodiment, the application controller is further constructed to distribute, to a tournament controller, tournament information comprising the received user interaction, and receive, from the tournament controller, upon conclusion of the competition, competition results. The tournament controller is constructed to receive, from the interactive controller, the tournament information, determine a winner of the competition based on the received tournament information, and distribute, to the application controller, competition results, including the winner of the competition.

In yet another embodiment, the tournament controller is further constructed to receive, from one or more interactive controllers associated with the one or more other users in the competition, tournament information associated with the one or more other users, and the determination of the winner of the competition is further based on the received tournament information associated with the one or more other users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a structure of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are network diagrams of distributed side pool interleaved wagering systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a user management and session controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram for components of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of interactions between various embodiments of the system and processes in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of the structure of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIGS. 12A-12D are diagrams of various embodiments of structures of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A side pool interleaved wagering system interleaves wagering with non-wagering activities. In some embodiments of a side pool interleaved wagering system an interactive application executed by an interactive controller provides non-wagering components of the side pool interleaved wagering system. The interactive controller is operatively connected to an application controller that manages and configures the interactive application of the interactive controller and determines when wagers should be interleaved with the operations of the interactive application. The application controller is further operatively connected to a wager controller that provides one or more wagering propositions for one or more wagers.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller also includes a wagering user interface that is used to display data about a wagering process, including but not limited a wager outcome of a wager made in accordance with a wagering proposition. The content of the wagering user interface is controlled by the application controller and includes content provided by the wager controller.

In several embodiments, a user or user interactions are represented in a side pool interleaved wagering system by the electronic representation of interactions between the user and the interactive application, typically received via a user interface of the interactive application, and a user profile of the side pool interleaved wagering system associated with the user.

Many different types of interactive applications may be utilized with the side pool interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, the interactive application reacts to the physical activity of the user. In these embodiments, the user interacts with the interactive application through one or more sensors that monitor the user's physical activities. Such sensors may include, but are not limited to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user, environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the user, accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the user, and location sensors that monitor the location of the user such as global positioning sensors.

In some embodiments, the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game that is played by the user.

In some embodiments, the interactive application is a tool used by the user to achieve some useful goal.

In operation, a user interacts with the interactive application using various types of elements of the interactive application in an interactive application environment. Elements are interactive application resources utilized by the user within the interactive application environment to provide an interactive experience for the user. Wagers of credits are made in accordance with a wagering proposition as triggered by the user's use of one or more of the elements of the interactive application. Wager outcomes of wagers of credits made in accordance with the wagering proposition can cause consumption, loss or accrual of credits.

In accordance with some embodiments, wager outcomes of wagering events can influence elements in the interactive application such as, but not limited to, providing one or more new elements, restoring one or more consumed elements, causing the loss of one or more elements, and restoration or placement of one or more fixed elements.

In various embodiments, the wagers may be made using one or more credits (Cr).

In some embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits that are purchased using, and redeemed in, a real world currency having a real world value.

In many embodiments, Cr can be one or more credits in a virtual currency. Virtual currency is an alternate currency that can be acquired, purchased or transferred by or to a user, but does not necessarily directly correlate to a real world currency. In many such embodiments, Cr in a virtual currency are allowed to be purchased using a real world currency but are prevented from being redeemed in a real world currency having a real world value.

In several embodiments, during interaction with the interactive application using the elements, a user can optionally consume and/or accrue application environment credit (AC) within the interactive application as a result of the user's use of the interactive application. AC can be in the form of, but is not limited to, application environment credits, experience points, and points generally.

In various embodiments, when the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game, AC is awarded to a player of the skill-based interactive game on the basis of the player's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. In such embodiments, AC may be analogous to the score in a typical video game. The skill-based interactive game can have one or more scoring criteria, embedded within an application controller and/or an interactive controller that provides the skill-based interactive game, that reflect user performance against one or more goals of the skill-based interactive game.

In many embodiments, AC can be used to purchase in-application items, including but not limited to, application elements that have particular properties, power ups for existing items, and other item enhancements.

In some embodiments, AC may be used to earn entrance into a sweepstakes drawing, to earn entrance in a tournament with prizes, to score in the tournament, and/or to participate and/or score in any other game event.

In several embodiments, AC can be stored on a user-tracking card or in a network-based user tracking system where the AC is attributed to a specific user.

In many embodiments, a wagering proposition includes a wager of AC for a wager outcome of a randomly generated payout of interactive application AC, elements, and/or objects in accordance with a wagering proposition.

In a number of embodiments, a wager of an amount of Cr results in a wager outcome of a payout of AC, elements, and/or objects that have an Cr value if cashed out.

In some embodiments, in a case that an interactive application is a skill-based interactive game, interactive application objects include in-application objects that may be used by a player of the skill-based interactive game to enhance the player's gameplay of the skill-based interactive game. Such objects include, but are not limited to, power-ups, enhanced in-application items, and the like. In some embodiments, the interactive application objects include objects that are detrimental to the player's play of the skill-based interactive game such as, but not limited to, obstructions in the game space, a temporary player handicap, an enhanced opponent, and the like.

In some embodiments, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, enabling elements (EE) that are interactive application environment resources utilized during the user's use of the interactive application and whose utilization by the user while using the interactive application triggers execution of a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. In another embodiment, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, a reserve enabling element (REE), that is an element that converts into one or more enabling elements upon occurrence of a release event during an interactive user session. In yet another embodiment, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, an actionable element (AE) that is an element that is acted upon during use of the interactive application to trigger a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition and may or may not be restorable during normal play of the interactive application. In yet another embodiment, elements in an interactive application include, but are not limited to, a common enabling element (CEE) that is an element that may be shared by two or more users and causes a wagering event and associated wager to be triggered in accordance with the wagering proposition when used by one of the users during use of the interactive application. In some embodiments, in progressing through interactive application use, a user can utilize elements during interactions with a controlled entity (CE). A CE is a character, entity, inanimate object, device or other object under control of a user.

In accordance with some embodiments of a side pool interleaved wagering system, the triggering of the wagering event and/or wager can be dependent upon an interactive application environment variable such as, but not limited to, a required object (RO), a required environmental condition (REC), or a controlled entity characteristic (CEC). A RO is a specific interactive application object in an interactive application acted upon for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of an RO is a specific key needed to open a door. An REC is an interactive application state present within an interactive application for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of an REC is daylight whose presence enables a character to walk through woods. A CEC is a status of the CE within an interactive application for an AE to be completed. A non-limiting example of a CEC is requirement that a CE have full health points before entering battle. Although various interactive application resources such as, but not limited to, the types of interactive application elements as discussed herein may be used to trigger a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition, one skilled in the art will recognize that any interactive application resource can be utilized in a side pool interleaved wagering system to trigger of a wager as appropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

In several embodiments, a side pool interleaved wagering system can utilize an application controller to monitor use of the interactive application executed by an interactive controller for detecting a trigger of a wagering event. The trigger for the wagering event can be detected by the application controller from the utilization of the interactive application in accordance with at least one wagering event occurrence rule. The trigger of the wagering event can be communicated to a wager controller. In response to notification of the trigger, the wager controller executes a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. In addition, use of an interactive application in a side pool interleaved wagering system can be modified by the application controller based upon the wager outcome.

In several embodiments, a wagering event occurrence can be determined from one or more application environment variables within an interactive application that are used to trigger a wager and/or associated wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. Application environment variables can include, but are not limited to, passage of a period of time during side pool interleaved wagering system interactive application use, a result from a side pool interleaved wagering system interactive application user session (such as, but not limited to, achieving a goal or a particular score), a user action that is a consumption of an element, or a user action that achieves a combination of elements to be associated with a user profile.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application instruction is an instruction to an interactive controller and/or an interactive application to modify an interactive application application state or modify one or more interactive application resources. In some embodiments, the interactive application instructions may be based upon one or more of a wager outcome and application environment variables. An interactive application instruction can modify any aspect of an interactive application, such as, but not limited to, an addition of a period of time available for a current interactive application user session for the interactive application of side pool interleaved wagering system, an addition of a period of time available for a future side pool interleaved wagering system interactive application user session or any other modification to the interactive application elements that can be utilized during interactive application use. In some embodiments, an interactive application instruction can modify a type of element whose consumption triggers a wagering event occurrence. In many embodiments, an interactive application instruction can modify a type of element whose consumption is not required in a wagering event occurrence.

In a number of embodiments, a user interface can be utilized that depicts a status of the interactive application in the side pool interleaved wagering system. A user interface can depict any aspect of an interactive application including, but not limited to, an illustration of side pool interleaved wagering system interactive application use advancement as a user uses the side pool interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, a side pool interleaved wagering system including an application controller operatively connected to a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controller may provide for interleaving entertainment content from an interactive application. The side pool interleaved wagering system provides for random wager outcomes in accordance with the wagering proposition that are independent of user skill while providing an interactive experience to the user that may be shaped by the user's skill.

In several embodiments, an application controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system may provide for a communications interface for asynchronous communications between a wager controller and an interactive application provided by an interactive controller, by operatively connecting the interactive controller, and thus the interactive controller's interactive application, with the wager controller. In some embodiments, asynchronous communications provided for by a side pool interleaved wagering system may reduce an amount of idle waiting time by an interactive controller of the side pool interleaved wagering system, thus increasing an amount of processing resources that the interactive controller may provide to an interactive application or other processes of the interactive controller. In many embodiments, asynchronous communications provided for by a side pool interleaved wagering system reduces an amount of idle waiting time by a wager controller, thus increasing an amount of processing resources that the wager controller may provide to execution of wagers to determine wager outcomes, and other processes provided by the wager controller. In some embodiments, a wager controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system may be operatively connected to a plurality of interactive controllers through one or more application controllers and the asynchronous communications provided for by the one or more application controllers allows the wager controller to operate more efficiently and provide wager outcomes to a larger number of interactive controllers than would be achievable without the one or more application controllers of the side pool interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, a side pool interleaved wagering system including an application controller operatively connected to a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controller may provide for simplified communication protocols for communications of the interactive controller as the interactive controller may communicate user interactions with an interactive application provided by the interactive controller to the application controller without regard to a nature of a wagering proposition to be interleaved with processes of the interactive application.

In various embodiments, a side pool interleaved wagering system including an application controller operatively connected to a wager controller and operatively connected to an interactive controller may provide for simplified communication protocols for communications of the wager controller as the wager controller may receive wager requests and communicate wager outcomes without regard to a nature of an interactive application provided by the interactive controller.

Various types interleaved wagering systems are discussed in Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US11/26768, filed Mar. 1, 2011, Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US11/63587, filed Dec. 6, 2011, and Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/US12/58156, filed Sep. 29, 2012, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Side Pool Wagering Interleaved Systems

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a structure of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The side pool interleaved wagering system 128 includes an interactive controller 120, an application controller 112, and a wager controller 102. The interactive controller 120 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, the application controller 112. The application controller 112 is also operatively connected to, and communicates with, the wager controller 102.

In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 is a controller for providing one or more wagering propositions provided by the side pool interleaved wagering system 128 and executes wagers in accordance with the wagering propositions. Types of value of a wager can be one or more of several different types. Types of value of a wager can include, but are not limited to, a wager of an amount of Cr corresponding to a real currency or a virtual currency, a wager of an amount of AC earned by the player through use of an interactive application, a wager of an amount of elements of an interactive application, and a wager of an amount of objects used in an interactive application. A wager outcome determined for a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition can increase or decrease an amount of the type of value used in the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing an amount of Cr for a wager of Cr. In various embodiments, a wager outcome determined for a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition can increase or decrease an amount of a type of value that is different than a type of value of the wager, such as, but not limited to, increasing an amount of an object of an interactive application for a wager of Cr.

In many embodiments, the wager controller 120 includes one or more pseudo random or random number generators (P/RNG) 106 for generating random results, one or more paytables 108 for determining a wager outcome from the random results, and one or more credit or value meters 110 for storing amounts of wagered and won credits.

The one or more P/RNG generators 106 execute processes that can generate random or pseudo random results. The one or more paytables 108 are tables that can be used in conjunction with the random or pseudo random results to determine a wager outcome including an amount of Cr, AC, elements or objects won as a function of side pool interleaved wagering system use. There can be one or more paytables 108 in the wager controller 102. The paytables 108 are used to implement one or more wagering propositions in conjunction with a random output of the random or pseudo random results.

In some embodiments, selection of a paytable to use to execute a wager can be based on factors including, but not limited to, interactive application progress a user has achieved through use of the interactive application, user identification, and eligibility of the user for bonus rounds.

In various embodiments, the interactive controller 120 provides an interactive application 143 and provides human input devices (HIDs) and output devices for interacting with the user 140. The interactive controller 120 provides for user interactions 142 with the interactive application 143 by receiving input from a user through the HIDs and providing outputs such as video, audio and/or other sensory output to the user using the output devices.

The interactive controller 120 is operatively connected to, and communicates with, the application controller 112. The interactive controller communicates application telemetry data 124 to the application controller 112 and receives application instructions and resources 136 from the application controller 112. Via the communication of application instructions and resources 136, the application controller 112 can communicate certain interactive application resources including control parameters to the interactive application 143 to affect the interactive application's execution by the interactive controller 120. In various embodiments, these interactive application control parameters can be based on a wager outcome of a wager that was triggered by an element in the interactive application being utilized or acted upon by the user.

In some embodiments, execution of the interactive application by the interactive controller 120 communicates user interactions with the interactive application to the application controller 112. The application telemetry data 124 includes, but is not limited to, the user's utilization of the elements in the interactive application.

In some embodiments, the interactive application 143 is a skill-based interactive game. In such embodiments, execution of the skill-based interactive game by the interactive controller 120 is based on the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. The interactive controller 120 can also communicate user choices made in the skill-based interactive game to the application controller 112 included in the application telemetry data 124 such as, but not limited to, the user's utilization of the elements of the skill-based interactive game during the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game. In such an embodiment, the application controller is interfaced to the interactive controller 120 in order to allow the coupling of the skill-based interactive game to wagers made in accordance with a wagering proposition.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 120 includes one or more sensors 138 that sense various aspects of the physical environment of the interactive controller 120. Examples of sensors include, but are not limited to: global positioning sensors (GPSs) for sensing communications from a GPS system to determine a position or location of the interactive controller; temperature sensors; accelerometers; pressure sensors; and the like. Sensor telemetry data 128 is communicated by the interactive controller to the application controller 112. The application controller 112 receives the sensor telemetry data 128 and uses the sensory telemetry data to make wager decisions.

In many embodiments, the interactive controller includes a wagering user interface 148 used to display wagering data to the user.

In various embodiments, an application control layer 131 resident in the interactive controller 120 provides an interface between the interactive controller 120 and the application controller 112.

In many embodiments, application controller 112 provides an interface between the interactive application 143 provided by the interactive controller 120 and a wagering proposition provided by the wager controller 102.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 includes an interactive controller interface 160 to an interactive controller. The interactive controller interface 160 provides for the communication of data between the interactive controller and the application controller, including but not limited to wager telemetry data 146, application instructions and resources 136, application telemetry data 124, and sensor telemetry data 128.

In various embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a wager controller interface 162 to a wager controller. The wager controller interface 162 provides for communication of data between the application controller 112 and the wager controller, including but not limited to wager outcome data 130 and wager data 129.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a user management and session controller interface 164 to a user management and session controller. The user management and session controller interface 164 provides for communication of data between the application controller 112 and the user management and session controller, including but not limited to user session control data 154 and user session telemetry data 152.

The application controller 112 includes a business rule decision engine 122 that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry data 124 and sensor telemetry data 128, from the interactive controller 120. The business rule decision engine 122 uses the telemetry data, along with trigger logic 126 to generate wager data 129 used to trigger a wager in the wager controller 102.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry data 124 includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables that indicate the state of the interactive application 143 being used by a user 140, interactive controller data indicating the state of the interactive controller, and user actions and interactions 142 between the user and the interactive application 143 provided by the interactive controller 120. The wagering and/or wager data 129 may include, but is not limited to, an amount and type of the wager, a trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable 108 to be used when executing the wager.

In some embodiments, the business rule decision engine 122 also receives wager outcome data 130 from the wager controller 102. The decision engine 122 uses the wager outcome data 130, in conjunction with the telemetry data and application logic 132 to generate application decisions 134 communicated to an application resource generator 138. The application resource generator 138 receives the application decisions and uses the application decisions to generate application instructions and application resources 136 to be communicated to the interactive application 143.

In many embodiments, the application controller 112 includes a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random results that are communicated to the application resource generator 138. The application resource generator 138 uses the random results to generate application instructions and application resources 136 to be communicated to the interactive application 143.

In various embodiments, the business rule decision engine 122 also determines an amount of AC to award to the user 140 based at least in part on the user's use of the interactive application of the side pool interleaved wagering system as determined from the application telemetry data 124. In some embodiments, wager outcome data 130 may also be used to determine the amount of AC that should be awarded to the user.

In numerous embodiments, the interactive application is a skill-based interactive game and the AC is awarded to the user for the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game.

In some embodiments, the application decisions 134 and wager outcome data 130 are communicated to a wagering user interface generator 144. The wagering user interface generator 144 receives the application decisions 134 and wager outcome data 130 and generates wager telemetry data 146 describing the state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss for the side pool interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may include, but is not limited to, amounts of AC and elements earned, lost or accumulated by the user through use of the interactive application as determined from the application decisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated as determined from the wager outcome data 130 and the one or more meters 110.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 130 also includes data about one or more game states of a gambling game executed in accordance with a wagering proposition by the wager controller 102. In various such embodiments, the wagering user interface generator 144 generates a gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game. The gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display is included in the wager telemetry data 146 that is communicated to the interactive controller 120. The gambling game process display and/or a gambling game state display is displayed by the wagering user interface 148 to the user 140. In other such embodiments, the one or more game states of the gambling game are communicated to the interactive controller 120 and the wagering user interface 148 generates the gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game for display to the user 140.

The application controller 112 can further operatively connect to the wager controller 102 to determine an amount of credit or elements available and other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus, the application controller 112 may potentially affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering events of a wagering game provided by the wager controller 102 in some embodiments. The application controller 112 may additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, the application controller 112 can also couple to a centralized server for exchanging various data related to the user and the activities of the user during game play of a side pool interleaved wagering system.

In many embodiments, one or more users can be engaged in using the interactive application executed by the interactive controller 120. In various embodiments, a side pool interleaved wagering system can include an interactive application that provides a skill-based interactive game that includes head-to-head play between a single user and a computing device, between two or more users against one another, or multiple users playing against a computer device and/or each other. In some embodiments, the interactive application can be a skill-based interactive game where the user is not skillfully playing against the computer or any other user such as skill-based interactive games where the user is effectively skillfully playing against himself or herself.

In some embodiments, the operation of the application controller 112 does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by the wager controller 102 except for user choice parameters that are allowable in accordance with the wagering proposition. Examples of user choice parameters include, but are not limited to: wager terms such as but not limited to a wager amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressing a button or pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement to wager into a bonus round.

In various embodiments, wager outcome data 130 communicated from the wager controller 102 can also be used to convey a status operation of the wager controller 102.

In a number of embodiments, communication of the wager data 129 between the wager controller 102 and the application controller 112 can further be used to communicate various wagering control factors that the wager controller 102 uses as input. Examples of wagering control factors include, but are not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects consumed per wagering event, and/or the user's election to enter a jackpot round.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes the wagering user interface 148 to communicate certain interactive application data to the user, including but not limited to, club points, user status, control of the selection of choices, and messages which a user can find useful in order to adjust the interactive application experience or understand the wagering status of the user in accordance with the wagering proposition in the wager controller 102.

In some embodiments, the application controller 112 utilizes the wagering user interface 148 to communicate aspects of a wagering proposition to the user including, but not limited to, odds of certain wager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC, elements, or objects available.

In a number of embodiments, the wager controller 102 can accept wager proposition factors including, but not limited to, modifications in the amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered on each individual wagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wager controller 102 can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and other factors. An example of a varying wager amount that the user can choose can include, but is not limited to, using a more difficult interactive application level associated with an amount of a wager. These factors can increase or decrease an amount wagered per individual wagering proposition in the same manner that a standard slot machine player can decide to wager more or less credits for each pull of the handle. In several embodiments, the wager controller 102 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to the application controller 112, via an interface, such that an increase/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the change in user profile of the user in the interactive application. In this manner, a user can control a wager amount per wagering event in accordance with the wagering proposition with the change mapping to a parameter or component that is applicable to the interactive application experience.

In some embodiments, a user management and session controller 150 is used to authorize a side pool interleaved wagering system user session. The user management and session controller receives game user session data 152, that may include, but is not limited to, user, interactive controller, application controller and wager controller data from the application controller 112. The user management and session controller 150 uses the user, interactive controller, application controller and wager controller data to regulate a side pool interleaved wagering system user session. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller may also assert control of a side pool interleaved wagering system game user session 154. Such control may include, but is not limited to, ending a side pool interleaved wagering system game user session, initiating wagering in a side pool interleaved wagering system game user session, ending wagering in a side pool interleaved wagering system game user session but not ending a user's play of the interactive application portion of the side pool interleaved wagering system game, and changing from real credit wagering in a side pool interleaved wagering system to virtual credit wagering, or vice versa.

In various embodiments, the application controller operates as an interface between the interactive controller and the wager controller. By virtue of this construction, the wager controller is isolated from the interactive controller allowing the interactive controller to operate in an unregulated environment will allowing the wager controller to operate in a regulated environment.

In some embodiments, a single wager controller may provide services to two or more interactive controllers and/or two or more application controllers, thus allowing a side pool interleaved wagering system to operate over a large range of scaling.

In various embodiments, multiple types of interactive controllers using different operating systems may be interfaced to a single type of application controller and/or wager controller without requiring customization of the application controller and/or the wager controller.

In many embodiments, an interactive controller may be provided as a user device under control of a user while maintaining the wager controller in an environment under the control of a regulated operator of wagering equipment.

In several embodiments, data communicated between the controllers may be encrypted to increase security of the side pool interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, the application controller isolates trigger logic and application logic as unregulated logic from a regulated wager controller, thus allowing errors in the application logic and/or trigger logic to be corrected, new application logic and/or trigger logic to be used, or modifications to be made to the application logic and/or trigger logic without a need for regulatory approval.

Side Pool Interleaved Wagering System Controllers

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are illustrations of interactive controllers of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactive controller, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1, may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the interactive controller. An interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using an electronic gaming machine 200 as shown in FIG. 2A. The electronic gaming machine 200 may be physically located in various types of gaming establishments. An interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using a portable device 202 as shown in FIG. 2B. The portable device 202 is a device that may wirelessly connect to a network. Examples of portable devices include, but are not limited to, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, and a smartphone. An interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using a gaming console 204 as shown in FIG. 2C. An interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using a personal computer 206 as shown in FIG. 2D. Indeed, an interactive controller in a side pool interleaved wagering system may be constructed from or configured using any processing device including sufficient processing and communication capabilities that may be configured to perform the processes of an interactive controller in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Some side pool interleaved wagering systems in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can operate with their components being network connected or can communicate with other side pool interleaved wagering systems. In many embodiments, operations associated with components of a side pool interleaved wagering system can be performed on a single device or across multiple devices. These multiple devices can be constructed from or configured using a single server or a plurality of servers such that a side pool interleaved wagering system is executed as a system in a virtualized space such as, but not limited to, where a wager controller and an application controller are large scale centralized servers in the cloud operatively connected to widely distributed interactive controllers via a wide area network such as the Internet or a local area network. In such embodiments, the components of a side pool interleaved wagering system may communicate using a networking protocol or other type of device-to-device communications protocol.

In many embodiments, a centralized wager controller is operatively connected to, and communicates with, one or more application controllers via a network. The centralized wager controller can generate wager outcomes for wagers in accordance with one or more wagering propositions. The centralized wager controller can execute a number of simultaneous or pseudo-simultaneous wagers in order to generate wager outcomes for a variety of wagering propositions that one or more networked side pool interleaved wagering systems can use.

In several embodiments, a centralized application controller is operatively connected to one or more interactive controllers and one or more wager controllers via a network. The centralized application controller can perform the functionality of an application controller across various side pool interleaved wagering systems.

In a variety of embodiments, management of user profile data can be performed by a user management and session controller operatively connected to, and communicating with, one or more application controllers, wager controllers and interactive controllers via a network. A user management and session controller can manage data related to a user profile. The managed data in the user profile may include, but is not limited to, data concerning controlled entities (characters) in interactive application use, user performance metrics for a type or class of interactive application, interactive application elements acquired by a user; Cr and AC associated with a particular user, and tournament reservations.

Although a user management and session controller is discussed as being separate from an application controller server, a centralized application controller server may also perform the functions of a user management and session controller in some embodiments.

In a number of embodiments, an application controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system can communicate data to a user management and session controller. The data communicated by the application controller to the user management and session controller may include, but is not limited to, AC and Cr used in an interactive application; user profile data; user interaction activity; profile data for users; synchronization data between a wager controller and an interactive application; and data about other aspects of a side pool interleaved wagering system. In several embodiments, a user management and session controller can communicate user data to an application controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system. The user data may include, but is not limited to, interactive application title and type; tournament data; special offers; character or profile setup and synchronization data between a wagering game and an interactive application; and data about any other aspect of a side pool interleaved wagering system.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application server provides a host for managing head-to-head play operating over a network of interactive controllers connected to the interactive application server via a network. The interactive application server provides an environment where users can compete directly with one another and interact with other users.

Processing devices connected via a network to construct side pool interleaved wagering systems in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can communicate with each other to provide services utilized by a side pool interleaved wagering system. In several embodiments, a wager controller can communicate with an application controller over a network. In some embodiments, the wager controller can communicate with an application controller to communicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application. Examples of the data that may be communicated include, but are not limited to, data used to configure the various simultaneous or pseudo simultaneous wager controllers executing in parallel within the wager controller to accomplish side pool interleaved wagering system functionalities; data used to determine metrics of wager controller performance such as wagers run and/or wager outcomes for tracking system performance; data used to perform audits and/or provide operator reports; and data used to request the results of a wager outcome for use in one or more function(s) operating within the application controller such as, but not limited to, automatic drawings for prizes that are a function of interactive controller performance.

In several embodiments, an application controller can communicate with an interactive application server via a network when the interactive application server is also communicating with one or more interactive controllers over a network. An application controller can communicate with an interactive application server to communicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application. The data that may be communicated between an application controller and an interactive application server includes, but is not limited to, the data for management of an interactive application server by an application controller server during a side pool interleaved wagering system tournament. In an example embodiment, an application controller may not be aware of the relationship of the application controller to the rest of a tournament since the actual tournament play may be managed by the interactive application server. Therefore, management of a side pool interleaved wagering system can include, but is not limited to tasks including, but not limited to, conducting tournaments according to system programming that can be coordinated by an operator of the side pool interleaved wagering system; allowing entry of a particular user into a tournament; communicating the number of users in a tournament; and the status of the tournament (such as, but not limited to the amount of surviving users, the status of each surviving user within the game, and time remaining on the tournament); communicating the performance of users within the tournament; communicating the scores of the various users in the tournament; and providing a synchronizing link to connect the application controllers in a tournament with their respective interactive controllers.

In several embodiments, an application controller can communicate with a user management and session controller via a network. An application controller can communicate with a user management and session controller to communicate any type of data as appropriate for a specific application. Examples of data communicated between an application controller and a user management and session controller include, but are not limited to, data for configuring tournaments according to system programming conducted by an operator of a side pool interleaved wagering system; data for exchange of data used to link a user's user profile to an ability to participate in various forms of side pool interleaved wagering system use (such as but not limited to the difficulty of play set by the application controller server for an interactive application that is a skill-based interactive game); data for determining a user's ability to participate in a tournament as a function of a user's characteristics (such as but not limited to a user's prowess or other metrics used for tournament screening); data for configuring application controller and interactive controller performance to suit preferences of a user on a particular side pool interleaved wagering system; and data for determining a user's use and wagering performance for the purposes of marketing intelligence; and data for logging secondary drawing awards, tournament prizes, Cr and/or AC into the user profile.

In many embodiments, the actual location of where various process are executed can be located either on a single device (wager controller, application controller, interactive controller), on servers (wager controller, application controller, or interactive application server), or a combination of both devices and servers. In a number of embodiments, certain functions of a wager controller, application controller, user management and session controller and/or interactive application server can operate on a local wager controller, application controller and/or interactive controller used to construct a side pool interleaved wagering system being provided locally on a device. In some embodiments, a controller or server can be part of a server system including multiple servers, where applications can be run on one or more physical devices. Similarly, in particular embodiments, multiple servers can be combined on a single physical device.

Some side pool interleaved wagering systems in accordance with many embodiments of the invention can be distributed across a network in various configurations. FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are network diagrams of networked side pool interleaved wagering systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. Turning now to FIG. 3A, one or more interactive controllers of a networked side pool interleaved wagering system, such as but not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 300, a gaming console 302, a personal computer 304, and an electronic gaming machine 305, are operatively connected with a wager controller 306 of a networked side pool interleaved wagering system over a network 308. Network 308 is communications network that allows processing systems communicate with each other and to share data. Examples of the network 308 can include, but are not limited to, a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN). In some embodiments, one or more processes of an interactive controller and an application controller as described herein are executed on the individual interactive controllers 300, 302, 304 and 305 while one or more processes of a wager controller as described herein can be executed by the wager controller 306.

A networked side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3B. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of a networked side pool interleaved wagering system, such as but not limited to, a mobile or wireless device 310, a gaming console 312, a personal computer 314, and an electronic gaming machine 315, are operatively connected with a wager controller server 316 and an application controller 318 over a network 320. Network 320 is a communications network that allows processing systems to communicate and share data. Examples of the network 320 can include, but are not limited to, a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN). In some embodiments, the processes of an interactive controller as described herein are executed on the individual interactive controllers 310, 312, 314 and 315. One or more processes of a wager controller as described herein are executed by the wager controller 316, and one or more processes of an application controller as described herein are executed by the application controller 318.

A networked side pool interleaved wagering systems in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3C. As illustrated, one or more interactive controllers of a networked side pool interleaved wagering system, such as but not limited to, a mobile device 342, a gaming console 344, a personal computer 346, and an electronic gaming machine 340 are operatively connected with a wager controller 348 and an application controller 350, and an interactive application server 352 over a network 354. Network 354 is a communications network that allows processing systems communicate and to share data. Examples of the network 354 can include, but are not limited to, a Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN). In some embodiments, one or more processes of a display and user interface of an interactive controller as described herein are executed on the individual interactive controllers 340, 342, 344 and 346. One or more processes of a wager controller as described herein can be executed by the wager controller server 348. One or more processes of an application controller as described herein can be executed by the application controller server 350 and one or more processes of an interactive controller excluding the display and user interfaces can be executed by the interactive application server 352.

In various embodiments, a user management and session controller may be operatively connected to components of a side pool interleaved wagering system via a network. In other embodiments, a number of other peripheral systems, such as a user management system, a gaming establishment management system, a regulatory system, and/or hosting servers are also operatively connected with the side pool interleaved wagering systems over a network. Also, other servers can reside outside the bounds of a network within a firewall of the operator to provide additional services for network connected side pool interleaved wagering systems.

Although various networked side pool interleaved wagering systems are described herein, side pool interleaved wagering systems can be networked in any configuration as appropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, components of a networked side pool interleaved wagering system, such as an application controller, wager controller, interactive controller, or other servers that perform services for an application controller, wager controller and/or interactive controller, can be networked in different configurations for a specific networked side pool interleaved wagering system application.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams of a structure of an interactive controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An interactive controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the interactive controller. In many embodiments, an interactive controller can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 4A, an interactive controller 400, suitable for use as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1, provides an execution environment for an interactive application 402 of a side pool interleaved wagering system. In several embodiments, an interactive controller 400 of a side pool interleaved wagering system provides an interactive application 402 that generates an application user interface 404 for interaction with by a user. The interactive application 402 generates a user presentation 406 that is presented to the user through the application user interface 404. The user presentation 406 may include audio features, visual features or tactile features, or any combination of these features. The application user interface 404 further includes one or more human input devices (HIDs) interfaces that communicate with one or more HIDs (e.g., the input devices 514 of FIG. 4b ) that the user can use to interact with the side pool interleaved wagering system. The user's interactions 408 are included by the interactive application 402 in application telemetry data 410 that is communicated by interactive controller 400 to various other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system as described herein. The interactive application 402 receives application instructions and resources 412 communicated from various other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, various components of the interactive application 402 can read data from an application state 414 in order to provide one or more features of the interactive application. In various embodiments, components of the interactive application 402 can include, but are not limited to, a physics engine, a rules engine, and/or a graphics engine. The physics engine is used to simulate physical interactions between virtual objects in the interactive application 402. The rules engine implements the rules of the interactive application and a P/RNG that may be used for influencing or determining certain variables and/or outcomes to provide a randomizing influence on the operations of the interactive application. The graphics engine is used to generate a visual representation of the interactive application state to the user. Furthermore, the components may also include an audio engine to generate audio outputs for the user interface.

During operation, the interactive application reads and writes application resources 416 stored on a data store of the interactive controller host. The application resources 416 may include objects having graphics and/or control logic used to provide application environment objects of the interactive application. In various embodiments, the resources may also include, but are not limited to, video files that are used to generate a portion of the user presentation 406; audio files used to generate music, sound effects, etc. within the interactive application; configuration files used to configure the features of the interactive application; scripts or other types of control code used to provide various features of the interactive application; and graphics resources such as textures, objects, etc. that are used by a graphics engine to render objects displayed in an interactive application.

In operation, components of the interactive application 402 read portions of the application state 414 and generate the user presentation 406 for the user that is presented to the user using the user interface 404. The user perceives the user presentation and provides user interactions 408 using the HIDs. The corresponding user interactions are received as user actions or inputs by various components of the interactive application 402. The interactive application 402 translates the user actions into interactions with the virtual objects of the application environment stored in the application state 414. Components of the interactive application use the user interactions with the virtual objects of the interactive application and the interactive application state 414 to update the application state 414 and update the user presentation 406 presented to the user. The process loops continuously while the user interacts with the interactive application of the side pool interleaved wagering system.

The interactive controller 400 provides one or more interfaces 418 between the interactive controller 400 and other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system, such as, but not limited to, an application controller. The interactive controller 400 and the other side pool interleaved wagering system components communicate with each other using the interfaces. The interface may be used to pass various types of data, and to communicate and receive messages, status data, commands and the like. In certain embodiments, the interactive controller 400 and an application controller communicate application instructions and environment resources 412 and application telemetry data 410. In some embodiments, the communications include requests by the application controller that the interactive controller 400 update the application state 414 using data provided by the application controller.

In many embodiments, a communication by an application controller includes a request that the interactive controller 400 update one or more resources 416 using data provided by the application controller. In a number of embodiments, the interactive controller 400 provides all or a portion of the application state to the application controller. In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may also provide data about one or more of the application resources 416 to the application controller. In some embodiments, the communication includes user interactions that the interactive controller 400 communicates to the application controller. The user interactions may be low level user interactions with the user interface 404, such as manipulation of a HID, or may be high level interactions with game objects as determined by the interactive application. The user interactions may also include resultant actions such as modifications to the application state 414 or game resources 416 resulting from the user's interactions taken in the side pool interleaved wagering system interactive application. In some embodiments, user interactions include, but are not limited to, actions taken by entities such as non-player characters (NPC) of the interactive application that act on behalf of or under the control of the user.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 includes a wagering user interface 420 used to communicate side pool interleaved wagering system telemetry data 422 to and from the user. The side pool interleaved wagering system telemetry data 422 from the side pool interleaved wagering system include, but are not limited to, data used by the user to configure Cr, AC and element wagers, and data about the wagering game Cr, AC and element wagers such as, but not limited to, Cr, AC and element balances and Cr, AC and element amounts wagered.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller includes one or more sensors 424. Such sensors may include, but are not limited to, physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user, environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the interactive controller, accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the interactive controller, and location sensors that monitor the location of the interactive controller such as global positioning sensors (GPSs). The interactive controller 400 communicates sensor telemetry data 426 to one or more components of the side pool interleaved wagering system.

Referring now to FIG. 4B, interactive controller 400 includes a bus 502 that provides an interface for one or more processors 504, random access memory (RAM) 506, read only memory (ROM) 508, machine-readable storage medium 510, one or more user output devices 512, one or more user input devices 514, and one or more communication interface devices 516.

The one or more processors 504 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a multi-processor unit (MPU); an ARM processor; a controller; a programmable logic device; or the like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 504 and the random access memory (RAM) 506 form an interactive controller processing unit 599. In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the interactive controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the interactive controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 512 include, but are not limited to, display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 504 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 504 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 514 include, but are not limited to: tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, foot pads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the interactive controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the interactive controller; physiological sensors that monitor the physiology of the user; environmental sensors that monitor the physical environment of the interactive controller; accelerometers that monitor changes in motion of the interactive controller; and location sensors that monitor the location of the interactive controller such as global positioning sensors.

The one or more communication interface devices 516 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for communicating data and commands between the interactive controller 400 and other devices that may be included in a side pool interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface, a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 510 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of the interactive controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 518; one or more device drivers 522; one or more application programs 520 including but not limited to an interactive application; and side pool interleaved wagering system interactive controller instructions 524 for use by the one or more processors 504 to provide the features of an interactive controller as described herein. In some embodiments, the machine-executable instructions further include application control layer/application control interface instructions 526 for use by the one or more processors 504 to provide the features of an application control layer/application control interface as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 510 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 506 from the machine-readable storage medium 510, the ROM 508 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 504 via the bus 502, and then executed by the one or more processors 504. Data used by the one or more processors 504 are also stored in memory 506, and the one or more processors 504 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 504 to control the interactive controller 400 to provide the features of a side pool interleaved wagering system interactive controller as described herein

Although the interactive controller is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the interactive controller can be constructed from or configured using only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 510 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of interactive controllers will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 510 can be accessed by the one or more processors 504 through one of the communication interface devices 516 or over a network. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more processors 504 via one of the communication interface devices 516 or over a network.

In some embodiments, the interactive controller 400 can be distributed across a plurality of different devices. In many such embodiments, an interactive controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system includes an interactive application server operatively connected to an interactive client over a network. The interactive application server and interactive application client cooperate to provide the features of an interactive controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the interactive controller 400 may be used to construct other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of an interactive controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller, an application controller and a wager controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of an interactive controller, an application controller and a wager controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams of a structure of a wager controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A wager controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the wager controller. In many embodiments, a wager controller can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 5A, in various embodiments, a wager controller 604, suitable for use as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1, includes a pseudorandom or random number generator (P/RNG) 620 to produce random results or pseudo random results; one or more paytables 623 which includes a plurality of factors indexed by the random result to be multiplied with an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects committed in a wager; and a wagering control module 622 whose processes may include, but are not limited to, generating random results, looking up factors in the paytables, multiplying the factors by an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered, and administering one or more Cr, AC, element, or object meters 626. The various wager controller components can interface with each other via an internal bus 625 and/or other appropriate communication mechanism.

An interface 628 allows the wager controller 604 to operatively connect to an external device, such as one or more application controllers as described herein. The interface 628 provides for receiving of wager data 629 from the external device that is used to specify wager parameters and/or trigger execution of a wager by the wager controller 604. The interface 628 may also provide for communicating wager outcome data 631 to an external device. In numerous embodiments, the interface between the wager controller 604 and other systems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other methods of communication may be used including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by which two electronic devices could communicate with each other.

In various embodiments, a wager controller 604 may use a P/RNG provided by an external system. The external system may be connected to the wager controller 604 by a suitable communication network such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). In some embodiments, the external P/RNG is a central deterministic system that provides random or pseudo random results to one or more connected wager controllers.

During operation of the wager controller, the external system communicates wager data 629 to the wager controller 604. The wager controller 604 receives the wager data and uses the wager data to trigger execution of a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller 604 executes the wager and determines a wager outcome for the wager. The wager controller communicates wager outcome data 631 of the wager outcome to the external system.

In some embodiments, the wager controller uses the wager data to select a paytable 628 to use and/or an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects to wager.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data may include, but is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects won in the wager.

In various embodiments, the wager outcome data may include, but is not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in the one or more meters 626.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data includes state data for the wagering proposition of the executed wager. The state data may correspond to one or more game states of a gambling game that is associated with the wagering proposition. Examples of state data include, but are not limited to, reel strips in an operation state or a final state for a reel-based gambling game, one or more dice positions for a dice-based gambling game, positions of a roulette wheel and roulette ball, position of a wheel of fortune, or the like.

In various embodiments, the wagering control module 622 determines an amount of a wager and a paytable to use from the one or more paytables 623. In such embodiments, in response to the wager data triggering execution of the wager, the wager control module 622 executes the wager by requesting a P/RNG result from the P/RNG 620; retrieving a paytable from the one or more paytables 623; adjusting the one or more credit meters 626 for an amount of the wager; applying the P/RNG result to the retrieved paytable; multiplying the resultant factor from the paytable by an amount wagered to determine a wager outcome; updating the one or more meters 626 based on the wager outcome; and communicating the wager outcome to the external device.

In various embodiments, an external system communicates a request for a P/RNG result from the wager controller 604. In response, the wager controller 604 returns a P/RNG result as a function of an internal P/RNG or a P/RNG external to the external system to which the wager controller 604 is operatively connected.

In some embodiments, a communication exchange between the wager controller 604 and an external system relate to the external system support for coupling a P/RNG result to a particular paytable contained in the wager controller 604. In such an exchange, the external system communicates to the wager controller 604 as to which of the one or more paytables 623 to use, and requests a result whereby the P/RNG result would be associated with the requested paytable 623. The result of the coupling is returned to the external system. In such an exchange, no actual Cr, AC, element, or object wager is conducted, but might be useful in coupling certain non-value wagering interactive application behaviors and propositions to the same final resultant wagering return which is understood for the side pool interleaved wagering system to conduct wagering.

In some embodiments, the wager controller 604 may also include storage for statuses, wagers, wager outcomes, meters and other historical events in a storage device 616.

In some embodiments, an authorization access module provides a process to permit access and command exchange with the wager controller 604 and access to the one or more credit meters 626 for the amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects being wagered by the user in the side pool interleaved wagering system.

In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various types of a wager controller and an external system 630, such as application controller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of the wager controller is to allocate wagers to pools, detect occurrences of one or more events upon which the wagers were made, and determine the wager outcomes for each individual wager based on the number of winning wagers and the amount paid into the pool.

In some embodiments, the wager controller manages accounts for individual users wherein the users make deposits into the accounts, amounts are deducted from the accounts, and amounts are credited to the users' accounts based on the wager outcomes.

In some embodiments a wager controller is a pari-mutuel wagering system such as used for wagering on an events such as horse races, greyhound races, sporting events and the like. In a pari-mutuel wagering system, user's wagers on the outcome of an event are allocated to a pool. When the event occurs, wager outcomes are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning wagers.

In various embodiments, a wager controller is a central determination system, such as but not limited to a central determination system for a Class II wagering system or a wagering system in support of a “scratch off” style lottery. In such a wagering system, a player plays against other players and competes for a common prize. In a given set of wager outcomes, there are a certain number of wins and losses. Once a certain wager outcome has been determined, the same wager outcome cannot occur again until a new set of wager outcomes is generated.

In numerous embodiments, communication occurs between various components of a wager controller 604 and an external system, such as an application controller. In some of these embodiments, the purpose of the wager controller 604 is to manage wagering on wagering events and to provide random (or pseudo random) results from a P/RNG.

Referring now to FIG. 5B, wager controller 604 includes a bus 732 that provides an interface for one or more processors 734, random access memory (RAM) 736, read only memory (ROM) 738, machine-readable storage medium 740, one or more user output devices 742, one or more user input devices 744, and one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 746.

The one or more processors 734 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a multi-processor unit (MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a programmable logic device, or the like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 734 and the random access memory (RAM) 736 form a wager controller processing unit 799. In some embodiments, the wager controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the wager controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the wager controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the wager controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 742 include, but are not limited to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 734 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to speakers, and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 734 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 734 include, but are not limited to, tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the wager controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the wager controller 604.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 746 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the wager controller 604 and other devices that may be included in a side pool interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 740 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of a wager controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 748; one or more application programs 750; one or more device drivers 752; and side pool interleaved wagering system wager controller instructions 754 for use by the one or more processors 734 to provide the features of a side pool interleaved wagering system wager controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 740 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 736 from the machine-readable storage medium 740, the ROM 738 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 734 via the bus 732, and then executed by the one or more processors 734. Data used by the one or more processors 734 are also stored in memory 736, and the one or more processors 734 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 734 to control the wager controller 604 to provide the features of a side pool interleaved wagering system wager controller as described herein

Although the wager controller 604 is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and machine-executable instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the wager controller can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 740 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of processing devices will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 740 can be accessed by the one or more processors 734 through one of the interfaces or over a network. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more processors 734 via one of the interfaces or over a network.

In various embodiments, the wager controller 604 may be used to construct other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a wager controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a wager controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a wager controller 604 which could be possible, including forms where many modules and components of the wager controller are located in various servers and locations, so the foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive or all inclusive, but rather provide data on various embodiments of a wager controller 604.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams of a structure of an application controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. An application controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the application controller. In many embodiments, an application controller can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 6A, in many embodiments, an application controller 860, suitable for use as application controller 112 of FIG. 1, manages operation of a side pool interleaved wagering system, with a wager controller and an interactive controller being support units to the application controller 860. The application controller 860 provides an interface between the interactive application, provided by an interactive controller, and a wagering proposition, provided by a wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes an interactive controller interface 800 to an interactive controller. The interactive controller interface 800 provides for communication of data between an interactive controller and the application controller 860, including but not limited to wager telemetry data 802, application instructions and resources 804, application telemetry data 806, and sensor telemetry data 810.

In various embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a wager controller interface 812 to a wager controller. The wager controller interface 812 provides for communication of data between the application controller 860 and a wager controller, including but not limited to wager outcomes 814 and wager data 816.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a user management and session controller interface 818 to a user management and session controller. The user management and session controller interface 818 provides for communication of data between the application controller 860 and a user management and session controller, including but not limited to user session control data 820 and user session telemetry data 822.

The application controller 860 includes a business rule decision engine 824 that receives telemetry data, such as application telemetry data and sensor telemetry data, from an interactive controller. The business rule decision engine 824 uses the telemetry data, along with trigger logic 826 to generate wager data used to trigger a wager in a wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, application environment variables that indicate the state of an interactive application being used by a user, interactive controller data indicating a state of an interactive controller, and user actions and interactions between a user and an interactive application provided by an interactive controller. The wagering and/or wager data may include, but is not limited to, an amount and type of the wager, a trigger of the wager, and a selection of a paytable to be used when executing the wager.

In some embodiments, the business rule decision engine 824 also receives wager outcome data from a wager controller. The decision engine 824 uses the wager outcome data, in conjunction with telemetry data and application logic 828 to generate application decisions 830 communicated to an application resource generator 832. The application resource generator 832 receives the application decisions and uses the application decisions to generate application instructions and application resources to be communicated to an interactive application.

In many embodiments, the application controller 860 includes a pseudo random or random result generator used to generate random results that are communicated to the application resource generator 832. The application resource generator uses the random results to generate application instructions and application resources to be communicated to an interactive controller for use by an interactive application.

In various embodiments, the business rule decision engine 824 also determines an amount of AC to award to a user based at least in part on the user's use of an interactive application of the side pool interleaved wagering system as determined from application telemetry data. In some embodiments, wager outcome data may also be used to determine the amount of AC that should be awarded to the user.

In numerous embodiments, an interactive application is a skill-based interactive game and the AC is awarded to the user for the user's skillful play of the skill-based interactive game.

In some embodiments, the application decisions and wager outcome data are communicated to a wagering user interface generator 834. The wagering user interface generator 834 receives the application decisions and wager outcome data and generates wager telemetry data describing the state of wagering and credit accumulation and loss for the side pool interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, the wager telemetry data 146 may include, but is not limited to, amounts of AC and elements earned, lost or accumulated by the user through use of the interactive application as determined from the application decisions, and Cr amounts won, lost or accumulated as determined from the wager outcome data and the one or more credit meters.

In some embodiments, the wager outcome data 814 also includes data about one or more game states of a gambling game executed in accordance with a wagering proposition by a wager controller. In various such embodiments, the wagering user interface generator 834 generates a gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game. The gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display is included in wager telemetry data that is communicated to an interactive controller. The gambling game process display and/or a gambling game state display is displayed by a wagering user interface of the interactive controller to a user. In other such embodiments, the one or more game states of the gambling game are communicated to an interactive controller and a wagering user interface of the interactive controller generates a gambling game process display and/or gambling game state display using the one or more game states of the gambling game for display to a user.

The application controller 860 can further operatively connect to a wager controller to determine an amount of credit or elements available and other wagering metrics of a wagering proposition. Thus, the application controller 860 may potentially affect an amount of Cr in play for participation in the wagering events of a wagering game provided by the wager controller. The application controller 860 may additionally include various audit logs and activity meters. In some embodiments, the application controller 860 can also couple to a centralized server for exchanging various data related to the user and the activities of the user during game play of a side pool interleaved wagering system.

In some embodiments, the operation of the application controller 860 does not affect the provision of a wagering proposition by a wager controller except for user choice parameters that are allowable in accordance with the wagering proposition. Examples of user choice parameters include, but are not limited to: wager terms such as but not limited to a wager amount; speed of game play (for example, by pressing a button or pulling a handle of a slot machine); and/or agreement to wager into a bonus round.

In a number of embodiments, communication of wager data between a wager controller and the application controller 860 can further be used to communicate various wagering control factors that the wager controller uses as input. Examples of wagering control factors include, but are not limited to, an amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects consumed per wagering event, and/or the user's election to enter a jackpot round.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes a wagering user interface to communicate certain interactive application data to the user, including but not limited to, club points, user status, control of the selection of user choices, and messages which a user can find useful in order to adjust the interactive application experience or understand the wagering status of the user in accordance with the wagering proposition in the wager controller.

In some embodiments, the application controller 860 utilizes a wagering user interface to communicate aspects of a wagering proposition to the user including, but not limited to, odds of certain wager outcomes, amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects in play, and amounts of Cr, AC, elements, or objects available.

In a number of embodiments, a wager controller can accept wager proposition factors including, but not limited to, modifications in the amount of Cr, AC, elements, or objects wagered on each individual wagering event, a number of wagering events per minute the wager controller can resolve, entrance into a bonus round, and other factors. In several embodiments, the application controller 860 can communicate a number of factors back and forth to the wager controller, such that an increase/decrease in a wagered amount can be related to the change in user profile of the user in the interactive application. In this manner, a user can control a wager amount per wagering event in accordance with the wagering proposition with the change mapping to a parameter or component that is applicable to the interactive application experience.

Referring now to FIG. 6B, application controller 860 includes a bus 861 providing an interface for one or more processors 863, random access memory (RAM) 864, read only memory (ROM) 865, machine-readable storage medium 866, one or more user output devices 867, one or more user input devices 868, and one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 869.

The one or more processors 863 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to: a central processing unit (CPU); a multi-processor unit (MPU); an ARM processor; a programmable logic device; or the like.

Examples of output devices 867 include, include, but are not limited to: display screens; light panels; and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 863 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to: speakers; and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 863 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 863 and the random access memory (RAM) 864 form an application controller processing unit 870. In some embodiments, the application controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the application controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the application controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the application controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of user input devices 868 include, but are not limited to: tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, foot pads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the application controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the application controller 860.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 869 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the application controller 860 and other devices that may be included in a side pool interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS), cellular, or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 866 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of the application controller 860 such as, but not limited to: an operating system 871; one or more applications 872; one or more device drivers 873; and side pool interleaved wagering system application controller instructions 874 for use by the one or more processors 863 to provide the features of an application controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 870 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 864 from the machine-readable storage medium 866, the ROM 865 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 863 via the bus 861, and then executed by the one or more processors 863. Data used by the one or more processors 863 are also stored in memory 864, and the one or more processors 863 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 863 to control the application controller 860 to provide the features of a side pool interleaved wagering system application controller as described herein.

Although the application controller 860 is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the application controller can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 866 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of application controllers will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. Also, in some embodiments, the storage medium 866 may be accessed by processor 863 through one of the interfaces or over a network. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices may be operatively connected to the one or more processors 863 via one of the interfaces or over a network.

In various embodiments, the application controller 860 may be used to construct other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a wager controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a wager controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In some embodiments, components of an interactive controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of an interactive controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In numerous embodiments, any of a wager controller, an application controller, or an interactive controller as described herein can be constructed from or configured using multiple processing devices, whether dedicated, shared, or distributed in any combination thereof, or can be constructed from or configured using a single processing device. In addition, while certain aspects and features of side pool interleaved wagering system processes described herein have been attributed to a wager controller, an application controller, or an interactive controller, these aspects and features can be provided in a distributed form where any of the features or aspects can be provided by any of a wager controller, an application controller, and/or an interactive controller within a side pool interleaved wagering system without deviating from the spirit of the invention.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams of a structure of a user management and session controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. A user management and session controller may be constructed from or configured using one or more processing devices configured to perform the operations of the user management and session controller. In many embodiments, a wager user session can be constructed from or configured using various types of processing devices including, but not limited to, a mobile device such as a smartphone or the like, a personal digital assistant, a wireless device such as a tablet computer or the like, an electronic gaming machine, a personal computer, a gaming console, a set-top box, a computing device, a controller, a server, or the like.

Referring now to FIG. 7A, in various embodiments, a user management and session controller 1104, suitable for use as user management and session controller 150 of FIG. 1, includes a user management and session control module 1106 whose processes may include, but are not limited to, registering users of a side pool wagering interleaved system, validating users of a side pool wagering interleaved system using user registration data, managing various types of user sessions for users of the side pool wagering interleaved system, and the like.

The user management and session controller 1104 may further include a datastore 1108 storing user data used to manage user registration and validation. The user management and session controller 1104 may further include a datastore 1110 storing user session data used to manage one or more user sessions.

The various user management and session controller components can interface with each other via an internal bus 1112 and/or other appropriate communication mechanism.

An interface 1114 allows the user management and session controller 1104 to operatively connect to one or more external devices, such as one or more application controllers, wager controllers and/or interactive controllers as described herein. The interface provides for receiving session telemetry data 1116 from the one more external devices. The user session telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, amounts of AC earned by one or more users, requests for entering into a side pool user session as described herein, and telemetry data regarding the progress of one or more users during a side pool user session. The interface 1114 may also provide for communicating secession control data 1118 used to manage a user session.

In numerous embodiments, the interface between the user management and session controller and other systems/devices may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. However, other methods of communication may be used including, but not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or some other method by which two electronic devices could communicate with each other.

During operation of the user management and session controller, the external system communicates user session telemetry data to the user management and session controller. The user management and session controller receives the user session telemetry data and uses the user session telemetry data to generate user session control data as described herein. The user management and session controller communicates the user session control data to the external system.

Referring now to FIG. 7B, user management and session controller 1104 includes a bus 1132 that provides an interface for one or more processors 1134, random access memory (RAM) 1136, read only memory (ROM) 1138, machine-readable storage medium 1140, one or more user output devices 1142, one or more user input devices 1144, and one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 1146.

The one or more processors 1134 may take many forms, such as, but not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a multi-processor unit (MPU), an ARM processor, a controller, a programmable logic device, or the like.

In the example embodiment, the one or more processors 1134 and the random access memory (RAM) 1136 form a user management and session controller processing unit 1199. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller processing unit includes one or more processors operatively connected to one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium; the one or more processors of the user management and session controller processing unit receive instructions stored by the one or more of a RAM, ROM, and machine-readable storage medium via a bus; and the one or more processors execute the received instructions. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller processing unit is an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In some embodiments, the user management and session controller processing unit is a SoC (System-on-Chip).

Examples of output devices 1142 include, but are not limited to, display screens, light panels, and/or lighted displays. In accordance with particular embodiments, the one or more processors 1134 are operatively connected to audio output devices such as, but not limited to speakers, and/or sound amplifiers. In accordance with many of these embodiments, the one or more processors 1134 are operatively connected to tactile output devices like vibrators, and/or manipulators.

Examples of user input devices 1144 include, but are not limited to, tactile devices including but not limited to, keyboards, keypads, touch screens, and/or trackballs; non-contact devices such as audio input devices; motion sensors and motion capture devices that the user management and session controller can use to receive inputs from a user when the user interacts with the user management and session controller 1104.

The one or more communication interface and/or network interface devices 1146 provide one or more wired or wireless interfaces for exchanging data and commands between the user management and session controller 1104 and other devices that may be included in a side pool interleaved wagering system. Such wired and wireless interfaces include, but are not limited to: a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface; a Bluetooth interface; a Wi-Fi interface; an Ethernet interface; a Near Field Communication (NFC) interface; a plain old telephone system (POTS) interface; a cellular or satellite telephone network interface; and the like.

The machine-readable storage medium 1140 stores machine-executable instructions for various components of a user management and session controller, such as but not limited to: an operating system 1148; one or more application programs 1150; one or more device drivers 1152; and side pool interleaved wagering system user management and session controller instructions 1154 for use by the one or more processors 1134 to provide the features of a side pool interleaved wagering system user management and session controller as described herein.

In various embodiments, the machine-readable storage medium 1140 is one of a (or a combination of two or more of) a hard drive, a flash drive, a DVD, a CD, a flash storage, a solid state drive, a ROM, an EEPROM, and the like.

In operation, the machine-executable instructions are loaded into memory 736 from the machine-readable storage medium 1140, the ROM 1138 or any other storage location. The respective machine-executable instructions are accessed by the one or more processors 1134 via the bus 1132, and then executed by the one or more processors 1134. Data used by the one or more processors 1134 are also stored in memory 1136, and the one or more processors 1134 access such data during execution of the machine-executable instructions. Execution of the machine-executable instructions causes the one or more processors 1134 to control the user management and session controller 1104 to provide the features of a side pool interleaved wagering system user management and session controller as described herein

Although the user management and session controller 1104 is described herein as being constructed from or configured using one or more processors and machine-executable instructions stored and executed by hardware components, the user management and session controller can be composed of only hardware components in accordance with other embodiments. In addition, although the storage medium 1140 is described as being operatively connected to the one or more processors through a bus, those skilled in the art of processing devices will understand that the storage medium can include removable media such as, but not limited to, a USB memory device, an optical CD ROM, magnetic media such as tape and disks. In some embodiments, the storage medium 1140 can be accessed by the one or more processors 1134 through one of the interfaces or over a network. Furthermore, any of the user input devices or user output devices can be operatively connected to the one or more processors 1134 via one of the interfaces or over a network.

In various embodiments, the user management and session controller 1104 may be used to construct other components of a side pool interleaved wagering system as described herein.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and session controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a user management and session controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

In some embodiments, components of a user management and session controller and a wager controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may be constructed from or configured using a single device using processes that communicate using an interprocess communication protocol. In other such embodiments, the components of a user management and session controller and an application controller of a side pool wagering interleaved system may communicate by passing messages, parameters or the like.

It should be understood that there may be many embodiments of a user management and session controller 1104 which could be possible, including forms where many modules and components of the user management and session controller are located in various servers and locations, so the foregoing is not meant to be exhaustive or all inclusive, but rather provide data on various embodiments of a user management and session controller 1104.

In numerous embodiments, any of a wager controller, an application controller, an interactive controller, or a user management and session controller as described herein can be constructed from or configured using multiple processing devices, whether dedicated, shared, or distributed in any combination thereof, or can be constructed from or configured using a single processing device. In addition, while certain aspects and features of side pool interleaved wagering system processes described herein have been attributed to a wager controller, an application controller, an interactive controller, or a user management and session controller, these aspects and features can be provided in a distributed form where any of the features or aspects can be provided by any of a user management and session controller, a wager controller, an application controller, and/or an interactive controller within a side pool interleaved wagering system without deviating from the spirit of the invention.

Although various components of side pool interleaved wagering systems are discussed herein, side pool interleaved wagering systems can be configured with any component as appropriate to the specification of a specific application in accordance with embodiments of the invention. In certain embodiments, components of a side pool interleaved wagering system, such as user management and session controller, an application controller, a wager controller, and/or an interactive controller, can be configured in different ways for a specific side pool interleaved wagering system.

Operation of Side Pool Wagering Interleaved Systems

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The components of the side pool interleaved wagering system include a wager controller 902, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1, an application controller 904, such as application controller 112 of FIG. 1, and an interactive controller 906, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1. The process begins with the interactive controller 906 detecting a user performing a user interaction in a user interface of an interactive application provided by the interactive controller 906. The interactive controller 906 communicates application telemetry data 908 to the application controller 904. The application telemetry data includes, but is not limited to, the user interaction detected by the interactive controller 906.

The application controller 904 receives the application telemetry data 908. Upon determination by the application controller 904 that the user interaction indicates a wagering event, the application controller 904 communicates wager data 912 including a wager request to the wager controller 902. The request for a wager event may include wager terms associated with a wagering proposition.

The wager controller receives the wager data and uses the wager data to execute (913) a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition. The wager controller 902 communicates a wager outcome 914 of the executed wager to the application controller 904.

The application controller 904 receives the wager outcome and determines (915) interactive application instructions and resources 916 for the interactive application. The application controller 904 communicates the interactive application instructions and resources 916 to the interactive controller 906. The application controller also communicates wagering telemetry data 920 including the wager outcome to the interactive controller 906.

The interactive controller 906 receives the interactive application instructions and resources 916 and wagering telemetry data 918. The interactive controller 906 incorporates the received interactive application resources and executes the received interactive application instructions (918). The interactive controller updates (922) an application user interface of the interactive application provided by the interactive controller using the interactive application instructions and the resources, and updates (922) a wagering user interface using the wagering telemetry data.

In several embodiments, a user can interact with a side pool interleaved wagering system by using Cr for wagering in accordance with a wagering proposition along with AC and elements in interactions with an interactive application. Wagering can be executed by a wager controller while an interactive application can be executed by an interactive controller and managed with an application controller.

FIG. 9 is a collaboration diagram that illustrates how resources such as AC, Cr, elements, and objects are utilized in a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The collaboration diagram 1000 illustrates that Cr 1002, interactive application resources including elements and objects 1004 and AC 1006 can be utilized by a user 1008 in interactions with a wager controller 1010, such as wager controller 102 of FIG. 1, an application controller 1012, such as wager controller 112 of FIG. 1, and an interactive controller 1014, such as interactive controller 120 of FIG. 1, of a side pool interleaved wagering system. The contribution of elements and objects such as included in resources 1004, can be linked to a user's access to credits, such as Cr 1002 and/or AC 1006. Electronic receipt of these credits can come via a smart card, voucher or other portable media, or as received over a network from a server. In some embodiments, these credits can be drawn on demand from a user profile located in a database locally on a side pool interleaved wagering system or in a remote server.

A user's actions and/or decisions can affect an interactive application of interactive controller 1014 that consume and/or accumulate AC 1004 and/or resources 1004 in an interactive application executed by an interactive controller 1014, a wager controller 101 and an application controller 1012. The application controller 1012 can monitor the activities taking place within an interactive application executed by an interactive controller 1014 for wagering event occurrences. The application controller 1012 can also communicate the wagering event occurrences to the wager controller 1010 that triggers a wager of Cr 1002 in accordance with a wagering proposition executed by the wager controller 1010.

In several embodiments, the user commences interaction with the side pool interleaved wagering system by contributing credit to a side pool interleaved wagering system such as, but not limited to, Cr 1002 that may be credit in a real currency or may be credit in a virtual currency that is not fungible with a real currency, AC 1006 that may be application environment credits, and specified types of interactive application elements and/or objects 1004. One or more of these contributions may be provided directly as currency and/or transferred in electronically. Electronic transfer may come via a smart card, voucher or other portable media, or as transferred in over a network from a user data server or side pool interleaved wagering system user management and session controller. In many embodiments, contributions may be drawn on demand from user accounts located in servers residing on the network or in the cloud on a real time basis as the credits, elements and/or object are committed or consumed by the side pool interleaved wagering system. Generally, Cr is utilized and accounted for by the wager controller 1010; and the resources 1004 and AC 1006 are utilized and accounted for by the application controller 1012 and/or the interactive controller 1014. The user interacts (a) with an interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014 with the interaction representing an action by the user within the context of the interactive application. The interactive controller 1014 receives the user interaction and communicates (b) the interaction to the application controller 1012. The application controller 1012 receives the interaction and determines from the interaction whether or not a wager should be triggered. If a wager should be triggered, the application controller 1012 communicates (c) wager data about a wager in accordance with a wagering proposition associated with the interaction and thereby triggers a wager. The wager controller receives the wager data and executes the wager in accordance with the wagering proposition, and consumes (d) an appropriate amount of Cr 1002 for the wager. The wager controller 1010 adjusts (e) the Cr 1002 based upon a wager outcome of the wager and communicates (f) the wager outcome to the application controller 1012 as to the outcome of the wager triggered by the application controller 1012. The application controller 1012 receives the wager outcome. The application controller determines what resources 1004 should be provided to the interactive controller and communicates (g) the resources 1004 to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives the resources from the application control and integrates them into the execution of the interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 communicates (h) data about the wager outcome to the interactive controller. The interactive controller receives the wager outcome and displays the wager outcome to the user 1008.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines what resources and instructions to provide to the interactive controller 1014 for use by the interactive application provided by the interactive controller 1014 partially on the basis of the wager outcome. In some such embodiments, resources are provided in a case that the wager was a winning wager for the user. In other such embodiments, fewer or no resources are provided in a case of a losing wager.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines what resources to provide based on internal logic of the application controller 1012. In some such embodiments, the application controller 1012 employs a random result generator, such as a P/RNG, to generate a random result and the random result is used to determine what resources are provided to the interactive controller 1014.

In several embodiments, the application controller 1012 determines an increment or a decrement of an amount of AC 1006 using the interactions received from the interactive controller. The increment or decremented amount is communicated (i) to the interactive controller for display to the user.

In some embodiments, the application controller 1012 executes a wager of Cr as a virtual currency, AC, elements or objects. In some such embodiments, the application controller 1012 employs a random result generator, such as a P/RNG, to generate a random result and the random result is used to determine a wager outcome in Cr as a virtual currency, AC, elements or objects.

The following is description of an embodiment of the described collaboration where an interactive application provided by an interactive controller of a side pool interleaved wagering system is a first person shooter game. The process begins by a user selecting a machine gun to use in the game and then fires a burst of bullets at an opponent. The interactive controller can communicate to the application controller of the user's choice of weapon, that a burst of bullets was fired, and/or the outcome of the burst. The application controller communicates to the wager controller that 3 credits (Cr) are to be wagered on the outcome of a wagering event to match the three bullets consumed. The wager controller then performs the wagering event and determines the result of the wager and may determine the winnings from a paytable. The wager controller consumes 3 credits of Cr for the wager and executes the specified wager. By way of example, the wager controller may determine that the user hit a jackpot of 6 credits and returns the 6 credits to the Cr and communicates to the application controller that 3 net credits were won by the user.

The application controller communicates to the interactive controller to add 3 bullets to an ammunition clip. The interactive controller adds 3 bullets back to the ammo clip. The ammunition may be added by directly adding the ammunition to the clip or by allowing the user to find extra ammunition during use. The application controller logs the new user score (AC) in the game (as a function of the successful hit on the opponent) based on the interactive controller communication, and adds 2 extra points to the user score since a jackpot has been won. The application controller then adds 10 points to the user score (AC) given the success of the hit which in this example is worth 8 points, plus the 2 extra point. Note that this example is only intended to provide an illustration of how credits flow in a side pool interleaved wagering system, but is not intended to be exhaustive and only lists only one of numerous possibilities of how a side pool interleaved wagering system may be configured to manage its fundamental credits.

In many embodiments, user management and session controller 1020, such as user account controller 150 of FIG. 1, of a side pool interleaved wagering system is used to store AC for use of the user. In such an embodiment, AC is generated by the application controller based on the user's use of the side pool interleaved wagering system and an amount of the AC is communicated to the user management and session controller 1020. The user management and session controller stores the amount of AC between user sessions. In some embodiments, the user management and session controller communicates an amount of AC to the application controller at the start of a user session for use by the user during a user session.

A side pool for an interleaved wagering system may provide for multiple users to compete against each other. In some embodiments, a score attained by each of the users for the interactive application may be compared against each other to determine one or more winners. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill-based interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance-based interactive game. In some embodiments, the multiple user competition is a tournament. In some embodiments, wagering outcomes are not considered as part of the score, for comparison between users, and only skill-based aspects of the user's interaction with the interleaved wagering system are considered in determining the score.

As users participate in the competition, a portion of each wager the interleaved wagering system makes based on the user's actions taken during the user's skillful execution of the interactive application is placed in a side pool. In some embodiments, the user who wins the competition between one or more other users is awarded the funds in the side pool. In some embodiments, the winner is determined based on a score. In an embodiment where the competition is a tournament with multiple participants, the side pool is awarded to the winner of the tournament. In this way, the user with the most skillful execution of the interactive application may be rewarded with proceeds contributed from the individual wagers that have occurred throughout all of the users' interactions with the interleaved wagering system. In some embodiments, more than one user may have the funds in the side pool divided amongst them.

In some embodiments, the side pool is used to fund a tournament, wherein the winner of each head to head competition advances to a next round where the process is then repeated. The winner of the tournament is awarded with the proceeds from the side pool. In many embodiments, the side pool could also be used to pay out runners up as well as other participants.

In some embodiments, an in-application screen displays the size of the side pool at that time. In a tournament setting, the in game screen additionally shows how many users remain in a bracket.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of interactions between various embodiments of the system and processes in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. FIG. 10 illustrates a competition session with two users. The first user 1202 is associated with a first interactive controller 1214, a first application controller 1222, and a first wager controller 1238, each as described herein. The second user 1204 is associated with a second interactive controller 1216, a second application controller 1224, and a second wager controller 1240, each as described herein.

The first interactive controller 1214 provides a presentation to the first user 1202 (1210). The first user 1202 communicates first user actions 1206 to the first interactive controller 1214. The first interactive controller 1214 receives the first user actions 1206 from the first user 1202. In some embodiments, the first user actions are indications of commands to elements of the interactive application via an input device. In an example embodiment, the first user actions comprise manipulation of characters in an interactive sports game, using a keyboard and mouse, or a touchscreen input.

The first interactive controller 1214 communicates first user actions to the first application controller 1222, and the first application controller 1222 receives the first user actions from the first interactive controller 1214 (1218). The first application controller 1222 communicates interactive application resources to the first interactive controller 1214, and the first interactive controller 1214 receives the interactive application resources from the first application controller 1222 (1218).

Similarly, the second interactive controller 1216 provides a presentation to the second user 1204 (1212). The second user 1204 communicates second user actions 1208 to the second interactive controller 1216. The second interactive controller 1216 receives the second user actions 1208 from the second user 1204. In some embodiments, the second user actions are indications of commands to elements of the interactive application via an input device. In an example embodiment, the second user actions 1208 comprise manipulation of characters in an interactive sports game, using a keyboard and mouse, or a touchscreen input.

The second interactive controller 1216 communicates second user actions to the second application controller 1224, and the second application controller 1224 receives the second user actions from the second interactive controller 1216 (1220). The second application controller 1224 communicates interactive application resources to the second interactive controller 1216, and the second interactive controller 1216 receives the interactive application resources from the second application controller 1224 (1220).

The first application controller 1222 communicates first user wagers to the first wager controller 1238 based on the received first user actions, and the first wager controller 1238 receives the first user wagers from the first application controller 1222 (1234). The first wager controller 1238 generates a wager outcome and communicates the wager outcome to the first application controller 1222, and the first application controller 1222 receives the generated wager outcome from the first wager controller 1238 (1234). Based on the wager outcome, the first application controller 1222 communicates first user AC to the first user AC storage 1230 (1226). The first user AC storage 1230 receives the first user AC from the first application controller 1222 (1226).

Similarly, the second application controller 1224 communicates second user wagers to the second wager controller 1240 based on the received second user actions, and the second wager controller 1240 receives the second user wagers from the second application controller 1224 (1236). The second wager controller 1240 generates a wager outcome and communicates the wager outcome to the second application controller 1224, and the second application controller 1224 receives the generated wager outcome from the second wager controller 1240 (1236). Based on the wager outcome, the second application controller 1224 communicates second user AC to the second user AC storage 1232 (1228). The second user AC storage 1232 receives the second user AC from the second application controller 1224 (1228).

The first wager controller 1238, in executing a wager, receives first user wagers 1246 from an RC meter associated with the first user 1250. The amount wagered may be determined by the user. The first user RC meter 1250 communicates first user wagers 1246 to the first wager controller 1238. If the wager outcome is a success, the RC meter 1250 receives first user winnings 1242 from the first wager controller 1238. The first wager controller 1238 communicates first user winnings 1242 to the RC meter 1250.

Similarly, the second wager controller 1240, in executing a wager, receives second user wagers 1244 from an RC meter 1252 associated with the second user. The RC meter 1252 communicates second user wagers 1244 to the second wager controller 1240. If the wager outcome is a success, the RC meter 1252 receives second user winnings 1248 from the second wager controller 1240. The second wager controller 1240 communicates second user winnings 1248 to the RC meter 1252.

During the wagering, the first wager controller 1238 may communicate to the side RC pool 1266, a contribution of funds. The manner of contribution, including the amount won and the source of the funds may be determined by a mode used. In some embodiments, the users contributes the same amount of RC at each wager request. In some embodiments, the users may agree on the amount to be contributed to the side pool, or the amount may be set by the competition operator. In some embodiments, the amounts contributed by each user are different. In some embodiments, an application manager's hold mode 1254, a user commitment mode 1256, and/or a user winnings mode 1258 may be used. The application manager's hold mode 1254 is a mode where the contribution amount is adjusted in proportion to the ratio of the users' denominated wagers. For example, if the first user 1202 is making wagers of 100 credits for each wager, and a second user 1204 is making wagers of only 10 credits for each wager, the contribution from the first user's wagers is reduced such that both the first user 1202 and the second user 1204 are contributing equally to the pool. In the user commitment mode, the contribution to the RC side pool 1266 is made before the wager is executed. That is, the contribution is deducted from each user's RC meter regardless of whether the user's wager outcome is successful or not. In contrast, in the user winnings mode 1258, the contribution is deducted from the winnings of a user. That is, there is no contribution to the RC side pool 1266 from a user unless the user's wager outcome is successful.

Similarly, during the wagering, the second wager controller 1240 may communicate to the side RC pool 1266, a fund contribution using the application manager's hold mode 1260, the user commitment mode 1264, and/or the user winnings mode 1262, as described herein.

Upon conclusion of the competition and a determination of one or more winners being made, the funds in the RC side pool 1266 may be communicated to the appropriate RC meter (e.g., 1250 or 1252). The indication regarding the winner of the competition may be received from an interactive controller or a tournament manager, as described herein.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of the structure of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The system includes an interactive controller 1302, an application controller, 1304, and a wager controller 1306, as described herein. The interactive controller 1302 may provide an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill-based interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance-based interactive game.

The system further includes a side pool controller 1308. The side pool controller 1308 may be operatively connected to the application controller 1304, the wager controller 1306, and a tournament controller 1310. In some embodiments, the connection is via a network. The side pool controller 1308 is responsible for managing the side pool. The side pool controller 1308 receives, from the wager controller 1306 funds to contribute to the side pool. The side pool controller 1308 may receive funds to contribute to the side pool from other wager controllers (not shown). The side pool controller 1308 also receives an indication regarding the outcome of the competition, and communicates funds to the wager controller associated with the winning user. The side pool controller 1308 may also be responsible for managing the rules by which contributions are made to the side pool. In an example embodiment, the wager controller 1306 communicates a request to the side pool controller 1308 for a rule regarding the contribution of funds to the side pool. The side pool controller 1308 receives the request for the rule regarding the contribution of funds to the side pool, and the side pool controller 1308 communicates to the wager controller 1306, the rule regarding the contribution of funds to the side pool. The wager controller 1306 receives the rule from the side pool controller 1308 and implements the rule when making contributions to the side pool.

In some embodiments, if players are wagering in different denominations, the users may be grouped by wagering denomination or the total amount contributed per wager is equal to the lower better (so the player with the higher wagers commits less to the pot on a percentage basis). In some embodiments, p players are awarded the side pool when they win the skill-based entertainment game even if they are no longer making wagers. The award could be limited in this embodiment. Such a mechanism reinforces the fact that winning the game will result in a monetary prize.

The system further includes a tournament controller 1310. The tournament controller 1310 may be operatively connected to the application controller 1304 and the side pool controller 1308. In some embodiments, the connection is via a network. The tournament controller 1310 is responsible for managing the competition between the users. In some embodiments, the tournament controller 1310 receives information from the application controller 1304 regarding a user's performance information, such as a user score for the interactive application. The application controller 1304 communicates the user's performance information to the tournament controller 1310. In some embodiments, the tournament controller 1310 communicates an indication regarding the outcome of the competition, to the side pool controller 1308. The side pool controller 1308 receives, from the tournament controller 1310, the indication regarding the outcome of the competition and communicates the funds of the side pool to the appropriate wager controllers.

In some embodiments, a group of individual users may participate in a head-to-head interactive application that is an interactive game, wherein each of the users accrues a game score for their skillful execution of the interactive game. In such a game, awards of one or more portions of the side pool are made at the end of the game based on the rankings of the individual users.

In some embodiments, two or more groups of individual user may participate in a head-to-head interactive application that is an interactive game, wherein each group of users and each of the users accrues a game score for their skillful execution of the interactive game. In such a game, awards of one or more portions of the side pool are made at the end of the game based on the rankings of the individual players within the group or groups that won the interactive game competition.

As described herein, the wager controller 1306 makes contributions to the side pool based on a contribution mode. The contribution mode may be chosen by the user. The user indicates, to the interactive controller 1302 the contribution mode. The interactive controller 1302 receives, from the user, the contribution mode. The interactive controller 1302 communicates the contribution mode to the application controller 1304. The application controller 1304 receives the contribution mode from the interactive controller 1302 and communicates the contribution mode to the wager controller 1306. The wager controller 1306 receives the contribution mode from the application controller 1304 and makes contributions to the side pool controller 1308 based on the received contribution mode.

In some embodiments, the side pool controller 1308 receives the contribution mode as well. The side pool controller 1308 may determine a contribution amount for each user based on the contribution mode. In an example embodiment, if a first user chooses a contribution mode where each user contributes 10 real world credits, and a second user chooses a contribution mode where each user contributes 100 real world credits, the side pool controller 1308 may determine that the lower amount should be used. Upon determining the contribution mode, which includes the determination of the contribution of 10 real world credits, the side pool controller 1308 communicates the contribution mode to the wager controller 1306. The wager controller 1306 receives the contribution mode from the side pool controller 1308 and makes contributions based on the received contribution mode.

FIGS. 12A-12D are diagrams of various embodiments of structures of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with the invention. In each of the embodiments, two users are shown, but any number of users may be included in the system.

FIG. 12A includes a first user 1402 and a second user 1404. The first user 1402 and the second user 1404 share use of the interactive controller 1406. The system includes an interactive controller 1406, an application controller 1408, a wager controller 1410, a side pool controller 1412, and a tournament controller 1414, each as described herein. In this embodiment, the interactive controller 1406, which provides the interactive application, may be shared by the first user 1402 and the second user 1404. In some embodiments, the first user 1402 and the second user 1404 share the interactive controller 1406 by alternating turns. In some embodiments, the first user 1402 and the second user 1404 share the interactive controller 1406 by simultaneous use of the interactive controller 1406. In some embodiments, the device that includes the interactive controller 1406 is operative to allow for simultaneous use by one or more users. Each user may have their own individual accounts for management of credits. As described herein, the users compete using the system and in addition the funds that may be awarded based on the wagering outcome, funds accumulated in the side pool are awarded to an RC meter associated with the winning user.

FIG. 12B includes a first user 1416 and a second user 1418. The first user 1416 and the second user 1418 are each associated with a corresponding interactive controller (1420 and 1426, respectively), a corresponding application controller (1422 and 1428, respectively), and a wager controller (1424 and 1430, respectively). The interactive controllers, application controllers, and the wager controllers are as described herein. Each application controller (1422 and 1428) is connected to the tournament controller 1434 and the side pool controller 1432. The interactive controllers (1420 and 1426) are also connected to each other. In some embodiments, the connection between the interactive controllers is a peer to peer configuration or network. The interactive controllers exchange information regarding the interactive application competition. The first interactive controller 1420 communicates information associated with the interactive application competition to the second interactive controller 1426. The second interactive controller 1426 receives the information associated with the interactive application competition from the first interactive controller 1420.

The information associated with the interactive application competition may include: a score of the user, an identifier of the user, a time elapsed, or an amount of credits wagered or amount of credits earned. One or all of the interactive controllers (1420 and 1426) may determine which user is the winner of the competition, and communicate this information to the tournament controller 1434. The tournament controller 1434, upon receiving the information regarding the winner of the competition, communicates an identification of the winning user to the side pool controller 1432. The side pool controller 1432 receives the identification from the tournament controller 1434 and transfers the funds for the side pool to the wager controller (1424 or 1430) associated with the winning user.

FIG. 12C includes a first user 1436 and a second user 1438. The first user 1436 and the second user 1438 each have a corresponding interactive controller (1440 and 1446, respectively), a corresponding application controller (1442 and 1448, respectively), and a wager controller (1444 and 1450, respectively). The interactive controllers, application controllers, and the wager controllers are as described herein. Each application controller (1442 and 1448) is connected to the tournament controller 1456 and the side pool controller 1454. Each interactive controller (1440 and 1446) is connected to a session manager 1452, which maintains a mutual or master application state. Compared with the interactive controllers of FIG. 12B, the interactive controllers in FIG. 12C are not connected to each other. Instead, they are connected to the session manager 1452, which receives competition information from each of the interactive controllers (1440 and 1446) and determines a winner of the competition. The session manager 1452 communicates to the tournament controller 1456, the winner of the competition. The tournament controller 1456 receives, from the session manager, the identification of the winner of the competition and communicates to the side pool controller 1454 the identification of the winner of the competition. The side pool controller 1454 receives, from the tournament controller 1456 the identification of the winner of the competition and communicates funds associated with the side pool to the wager controller associated with the winning user.

FIG. 12D includes a first user 1458 and a second user 1460. The first user 1458 and the second user 1460 each have a corresponding interactive controller (1462 and 1464, respectively). The system includes an application controller 1466, a wager controller 1468, a side pool controller 1470, and a tournament controller 1472, each as described herein. The interactive controllers (1462 and 1464) are connected to the application controller 1466. The interactive controllers (1462 and 1464) communicate to the application controller 1466, information associated with the interactive application competition, as described herein. The application controller 1466 receives the information associated with the interactive application competition and determines a winner of the competition. The application controller 1466 communicates to the tournament controller 1472 an identification of the winner of the competition. The tournament controller 1472 receives the identification of the winner of the competition and communicates the identification of the winner of the competition to the side pool controller 1470. The side pool controller 1470 receives the identification of the winner of the competition and communicates the funds associated with the side pool to the wager controller associated with the winner of the competition.

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram of interactions between components of a side pool interleaved wagering system in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. The system includes an interactive controller 1502, an application controller 1504, a wager controller 1506, a side pool controller 1508, and a tournament controller 1510, each as described herein. The interactive controller 1502 provides an interactive application. In some embodiments, the interactive application is an interactive game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a skill-based game. In some embodiments, the interactive game is a chance-based game. In some embodiments, a user of the interactive application may participate in a competition between one or more other users of the interactive application.

The interactive controller 1502 communicates application telemetry to the application controller 1504 (1512). The application telemetry may include information associated with an interactive application competition. The information may include user identification, user score, or time elapsed during a session of the interactive application. The application controller 1504 receives the application telemetry from the interactive controller 1502 (1512).

The application controller 1504 communicates tournament information to the tournament controller 1510 (1514). The tournament information may include the application telemetry received from the interactive controller 1502. The tournament information may also include an identifier associated with the application controller 1504 and the wager controller 1506. The tournament controller 1510 receives the tournament information from the application controller 1504 (1514).

The application controller 1504 also generates a wager request based on the received application telemetry, and communicates the wager request to the wager controller 1506 (1516). The wager controller 1506 receives the wager request from the application controller 1504 (1516). The wager controller 1506 communicates funds for the side pool to the side pool controller 1508 (1518). The amount of funds to be communicated to the side pool controller 1508 and the situations in which funds are communicated to the side pool controller 1508 are as described herein. The side pool controller 1508 receives funds for the side pool from the wager controller 1506. In some embodiments, the side pool controller 1508 receives funds for the side pool from multiple wager controllers.

The wager controller 1506 generates a wager outcome (1520) based on the received wager request and communicates the wager outcome to the application controller 1504 (1522). The application controller 1504 receives the wager outcome from the wager controller 1506 (1522). The application controller 1504 determines application resources to be awarded based on the received wager outcome and communicates the application resources to the interactive controller 1502 (1524). The interactive controller 1502 receives the application resources from the application controller 1504 (1524).

Upon completion of the competition, the tournament controller 1510 communicates competition results to the application controller 1504 (1526). The application controller 1504 receives the competition results from the tournament controller 1510 (1526). The application controller 1510 communicates the competition results to the interactive controller 1502 (1528). The interactive controller 1502 receives the competition results from the interactive controller 1502 (1528). The interactive controller may display the results to the user. The application controller 1504 may award application resources based on the competition results.

In addition, upon completion of the competition, the tournament controller 1510 communicates to the side pool controller 1508 an identification of the side pool winner (1530). The side pool controller 1508 receives, from the tournament controller 1510, the identification of the side pool winner (1530). The identification of the side pool winner may include the user identification associated with the winning user of the competition and also the amount won by the user. In some embodiments, the tournament controller 1510 receives the identification of the winner from the interactive controller, the application controller, a session manager, or the tournament controller 1510 determines the identification of the winner.

The side pool controller 1508 communicates the funds for the side pool award to the wager controller 1506 (1532). The wager controller 1506 receives the funds for the side pool award from the side pool controller 1508 (1532). The wager controller 1506 that receives the funds for the side pool award is the wager controller associated with the winning user. In some embodiments, more than one user is a winner, so the side pool controller 1508 communicates funds to the wager controllers associated with the winning users.

While the above description may include many specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as examples of embodiments thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention can be practiced otherwise than specifically described, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Thus, embodiments of the present invention described herein should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 

What is claimed:
 1. An electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering, comprising: an interactive controller constructed to: provide an interactive application; generate a graphical display of the interactive application; receive, from a user, an indication to participate in a competition with one or more other users, wherein the competition is associated with an interactive application provided by the interactive controller; distribute, to an application controller, a user interaction within the interactive application detected by the interactive controller; and generate a graphical status display for a side pool competition within the interactive application; a wager controller operatively connected to the application controller, the wager controller constructed to: receive, from the application controller, a wager request; distribute, to a side pool controller, funds for a side pool; generate a wager outcome based on the wager request using a random number generator; communicate, to the application controller, the wager outcome; and receive, from the side pool controller, funds from the side pool when the user is a winner of the competition; and the application controller operatively connecting the interactive controller to the wager controller, the application controller constructed to: receive, from the interactive controller, the user interaction; distribute, to the wager controller, the wager request based on the received user interaction; receive, from the wager controller, the wager outcome; receive, from the side pool controller, the status of the side pool competition; and distribute, to the interactive controller, the status of the side pool competition.
 2. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 1, wherein the application controller is operatively connected by a network to the wager controller.
 3. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 1, wherein an amount of the funds distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller is determined by the user and the one or more users in the competition.
 4. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 1, wherein an amount of funds distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller is determined by an operator of the competition.
 5. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 1, wherein the funds for the side pool, distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller, are communicated before generating the wager outcome.
 6. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 1, wherein the funds for the side pool are distributed from the wager controller to the side pool controller when the wager outcome is successful, and the funds for the side pool are distributed after generating the wager outcome.
 7. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 1, wherein the application controller is further constructed to: distribute, to a tournament controller, tournament information comprising the received user interaction; and receive, from the tournament controller, upon conclusion of the competition, competition results, and wherein the tournament controller is constructed to: receive, from the interactive controller, the tournament information; determine a winner of the competition based on the received tournament information; and distribute, to the application controller, competition results, including the winner of the competition.
 8. The electronic gaming machine for side pool interleaved wagering of claim 7, wherein the tournament controller is further constructed to receive, from one or more interactive controllers associated with the one or more other users in the competition, tournament information associated with the one or more other users, and wherein the determination of the winner of the competition is further based on the received tournament information associated with the one or more other users. 